Nebraska kept rolling on Saturday, and this one looked every bit as lopsided as the final score suggested.
The Huskers crushed Bowling Green 56-7, a week after opening with a 49-21 win over Ohio, and they’ve now covered the spread twice while moving to 2-0. Through two games, Nebraska has scored 15 touchdowns and has looked far more dangerous than a team still sorting out exactly how good it can be.
Anthony Colandrea keeps sitting at the center of it all. After accounting for four touchdowns against Ohio, the UNLV transfer matched that output against Bowling Green, throwing four touchdown passes in the first half after an early interception. Nebraska had already built a 35-0 lead by then, and the offense never let up.
Colandrea’s mistake was one of the few blemishes, and even that came with a caveat: Jacory Barney needs to hold onto the ball. Outside of that turnover-worthy moment, Colandrea looked fully in command, whether he was throwing, running, or getting the Huskers into the right play.
The difference from last season is obvious. He’s playing like an All-Big Ten quarterback, and if that level holds, Nebraska starts looking like a team that can win eight or nine games.
Yes, the Kool-Aid is flowing.
The defense deserves plenty of credit, too. Rob Aurich’s group has allowed only two touchdowns through two games, and on Saturday it never gave Bowling Green a single explosive play, meaning nothing of 20 yards or more.
The Falcons managed just one 19-yard gain. That’s a far cry from the 68-yard play Nebraska gave up last week on a blown coverage, and outside of that, the Blackshirts have been airtight.
It wasn’t flawless. Nebraska had only two sacks and a few tackles for loss, and the defensive line still leaves something to watch. But the secondary looks elite, and if the front keeps coming along, this defense could end up beating expectations just like the offense has so far.
The ground game gave the Huskers another big edge. Rule needed only eight carries to pile up 88 yards and a touchdown, highlighted by a 59-yard burst.
Five different players ripped off runs of at least 19 yards, and all three of Nebraska’s top backs averaged at least six yards per carry against Bowling Green. The line created better lanes, the backs took advantage, and the Huskers controlled the line of scrimmage.
Nebraska finished with 546 total yards and 264 on the ground, while Bowling Green was held to 169 yards without an explosive play. The Huskers also gave up just one sack and three tackles for loss. Through two games, they’re rushing for 259 yards per game, and the combination of a stronger offensive line, a deeper backfield, a better quarterback and improved wideouts has made this offense look much more explosive.
Isaiah Mozee added the sixth touchdown, and Derek Wacker returned a fumble for the seventh score, the first defensive touchdown of the Rob Aurich era. By the end, Nebraska had turned another MAC opponent into a runaway win, and the early signs point to a team with a lot more firepower than expected.
In Other News...
Colandrea Gave Nebraska Hope But One Sloppy Issue Still Lingers
Anthony Colandrea gave Nebraska plenty to feel good about early, looking poised in the pocket and sharp with the ball as the offense rolled through the first half. He finished 17 of 20 for 184 yards and four touchdowns, and the Cornhuskers also found balance on the ground by leaning on the three-back Husker Hydra rotation to help cover for Emmett Johnson, with the group piling up 191 rushing yards and two scores.
Still, there was one messy sequence that fit a broader concern Nebraska cant quite shake. Colandreas first interception of the season was logged as a pick, but it came after Jacory Barney lost the ball when JoJo Johnson stripped it away, and special teams added its own frustration with penalties on punt returns. For a team trying to keep cleaner edges around an offense that looked in control for long stretches, those little lapses remain the nagging part of the story. [Read more 🡒]
Matt Rhule Has Another Coach Wanting Nebraskas Program Blueprint
After Nebraskas decisive win over Bowling Green, the conversation around Matt Rhule extended well beyond the scoreboard. Bowling Green coach Eddie George came away impressed with the way Nebraska is being built, praising Rhules coaching style and the broader approach he has used to shape the program. It was the kind of postgame respect that tends to follow a team that looks organized, physical and clearly headed in a direction.
George said he wants to learn from Rhule and seek advice on how to improve his own program, a notable compliment from a coach still working through his own build at Bowling Green. He also spoke about his coaching journey and the progress his team has made, which only added to the sense that Nebraskas model is starting to draw attention from across the sport. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Made An Early Impression On A Defensive Line Target
RJ Cruz IIIs first trip to the University of Nebraska gave the Huskers a chance to make a fresh impression on one of the better early defensive line targets in the 2028 class. The three-star lineman from McDonogh School in Maryland has already built a relationship with Nebraska assistant Corey Brown, and that connection has helped put the Huskers in the mix as he starts sorting through his college options.
For Nebraska, the appeal goes beyond just getting Cruz on campus once. He is still working through where he fits best on the defensive line, and the Huskers will have to keep that momentum going as he continues to compare them with other programs. For now, Nebraska has at least given him something to think about, and the next step will be whether that early interest turns into something more durable. [Read more 🡒]